Absolute value
The absolute value means the distance of a number from zero. So, absolute value is always positive.
The absolute value of 2 would be denoted by |2| and its value would be 2, since the distance from zero is 2. Also, the absolute value of the number -2 is also 2, since the distance of the number -2 from zero is 2.
The absolute value of a is the number a itself, if the number a is positive. If the number a is negative, the absolute value of a is the opposite number of a.
This is the definition of absolute value, and it is expressed in the form of the formula below
The absolute values of some numbers
|4|=4 |-4|=4 |-ℼ |=ℼ |-234|=234
Expression |3 - 5| means the distance between the numbers 3 and 5, which is 2. That is |3 - 5| = | -2 | = 2
The distance between numbers 2 and -6 can be found by the absolute value. |2 - (- 6)| = |2 + 6| = | 8 | = 8
